HID

[Range Rover Blues]

I've been looking at the cost ofr HID upgrade kits for the LSE, I don't want to put extra lights on it but I like to see where I'm going and I can hardly believe how the price keeps tumbling.

As fare as I can work out I need a bi-xeneon or dual beam H4 bulb, but I was wondering if any of you guys had already done the swap and if you had any tips?

Like what happens to the courtesy flash for one?

[ben_haynes]

is this any use to you it tels you some useful info about them being straight swops

https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/home.php?cat=279

[Range Rover Blues]

The only thing that tells me is that they are not legal :roll:

[jjsaul]

been looking myself and from what i can tell if you want to do it properly you need bi-xenon lamps which have hid xenon for dipped and main beam...

[dreadnought110]

I run bi-xenon H4's and am well chuffed i know they are ?? legal but the headlights are correctly adjusted and i have never had anyone flash me to say they are to bright.... Oh and you deffinetly want BI-xenons the ones with a halogen bulb for main beam are complete Pants.... :?  8)

[Terranosaurus]

Only illegal on post 1985 cars IIRC. Its th lack of E marking that makes them illegal, pre 85 you don't have to use E marked bulbs. Same goes for 100 watt bulbs too, though there are some super expensive E marked uprated ones available from PIAA.

[jjsaul]

I run bi-xenon H4's and am well chuffed i know they are ?? legal but the headlights are correctly adjusted and i have never had anyone flash me to say they are to bright.... Oh and you deffinetly want BI-xenons the ones with a halogen bulb for main beam are complete Pants.... :?  8)

where did you get yours from?

[Range Rover Blues]

Bi-xenon, thanks.

These are the things they don't tell you on the packaging you see.

Does bi-xenon mean 2 'bulbs' then?

How quick do they switch on, I heard they had to warm up.  If so does flashing your headlights damage them?

Has anyone used these that have a sloenoid in them to flip from dip to main?

[dreadnought110]

Bi-xenon, thanks.

These are the things they don't tell you on the packaging you see.

Does bi-xenon mean 2 'bulbs' then?

How quick do they switch on, I heard they had to warm up.  If so does flashing your headlights damage them?

Has anyone used these that have a sloenoid in them to flip from dip to main?

bi-xenon means one bulb but it has a shroud that is operated by a solonoid that gives you main beam and dipped as HID and they work brilliantly 8)  8)

[SteveG]

Just to clarify, these are not HID bulbs. The fact that they are direct replacements give this away.

For HID you need a high frequency pulsed charge in the thousands of volts. For HID bulbs you need a separate ignitor and that couple with the bulb is why they cost 400 pounds and upwards a pair.

HID lights are illegal in the uk unless you have some form of self leveling. So they are fine in air suspension shod LR's like the L322, P38a and later Classic LR's etc. Or you can retro-fit them to other vehicles if you buy an HID kit with a self leveler built in.

These bulbs are not HID and will give the same output as Halogens just with a blue/white light. As pointed out by the site they are not approved for road use so can't be legally used.

Cheers

Steve

[jjsaul]

Steve - the HID kits sold complete with ballast resistors etc...surely these are HID xenon and not just brighter halogen bulbs? Why else would they need the ballast resistor?

eg:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=004&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=140138938212&rd=1&rd=1

[Evilgoat]

Theres a lot of dodgey kit about on ebay atm. A lot of these HID upgrade kits arent what they say they are. Steve is correct anbd you should be looking at at least £80 a bulb! The Audi had them fitted and I removed them and went back to halogen when a bulb failed, couldnt afford the bulb at the time.

Its worth doing bu tit SHOULD be expensive, anything cheaper is going to be trouble, trust me, I've been bitten recently.

They are not drop in replacemens, they will require a substantial amount of wiring. If its a drop-in replacement, then its probobly one of the dogey tinted halogen bulbs.

[Sider]

Heh, I seem to remember last time I said the same as Steve has. Get your umbrella ready, mate, heavy showers are most probably on the way.

[SteveG]

Get your umbrella ready, mate, heavy showers are most probably on the way.

After Billing it will be a breeze!        

Steve :D

[S188]

They need to be self leaveling AND have headlamp washers for HID lamps used as dipped beams to be legal - its a rule for EU type aproval.  It's because they are too dasseling if not corectly alined or clean - obveously you can't expect a BMW driver to look after their car enough to sort out the above so it needs to be automatic or your not aloud it.  Are they checked on the MOT I wonder?

Autoexpress did a test of one of these aftermarket kits in a Renult Megane afew months back to see how well they worked.  The perticular kit they used didn't align well in the houseing as the bulb was much bigger than a normal H4 halogen and so gave the wrong beam pattern (they seemed to surgest it was a proper HID lamp but with an H4 base to make it fit a normal houseing; obveously it also had the nesisary balast control boxes with it too).  It actully made the headlamp more dasseling to oncomming cars and give out less light in the right place.  Wether they are all like that I don't know.  The conclusion they had was that people were making dangerous kits out of parts not designed for H4 houseings to try and mimik expencive headlamps, in practice a decent set of H4 halogens worked better in the H4 lenses as they designed for them.  The HID bulb they used was clearly longer than the halogen so presumably thats where the misalinement came from.

I wonder if the kits work in projector style lamps?  Projector lamps seem to come in HID or halogen form (like in the Mazda RX-8 for example, the higher powered 230PS version has HID instead of halogen, you can spot them easilly because they have washers fitted!).  I don't think I've seen a car with non projector lamps and HID that left the factory that way - are there any? I'd love to know!

[Landynuts]

This video gives clear advice about the legality of retrofitted HID lighting.
Auto Express (it is a bit slow in starting, hang in there).

[jjsaul]

in which case can you buy proper HID 7inch lamps...??
rather than retrofitting HID to a 7inch halogen unit

[andrew2986]

Hi,
Ive converted my disco to true HID bixenon.
the kit is supplied with ballast packs and is a true xenon arc lamp with a dipping reflector that moves the beam when in high beam.
I also fitted H3 fittment HID to my wipac 4x4 lights, they are fantastic now, dont need any more lights at all.
I used a company called hids4u (google will find them)
I had a ballast fail on me a year and a half after I bought them and they replaced it straight away free and no hassle at all.
I did fit headlight levelers to my disco, not for any leagle reasons, I have position two as my normal, and position one is higher than normal.
Ive passed two MOT,s with this set up, (the lamps were previosly fitted to a mk 2 golf. with no leveling at all)
Kits were expensive but I would buy them again without hesitation.

Andy

[tomcat]

hid  
High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting technology replaces the filament of the light bulb with a capsule of gas. The light is emitted from an arc discharge between two closely spaced electrodes hermetically sealed inside a small quartz glass tubular envelope capsule. To operate, they require ballasts, which supply proper voltage and control current. The amount of light produced is greater than a standard halogen bulb, while consuming less power, and more closely approximating the color temperature of natural daylight.

In all High Intensity Discharge lamps, light is produced by passing a current through a metal vapor. Free electrons colliding with an atom in the vapor momentarily knock an electron into a higher orbit of the atom. When the displaced electron falls back to its former level, a quantum of radiation is emitted. The wavelength of radiation depends on the energy zone of the disturbed electron and on the type of metal vapor used in the arc tube.

Although it produces 5% of its output when first ignited, the HID light requires a few seconds (usually 15-20) to come up to full output. Also, if power to the lamp is lost or turned off, the arc tube must cool to a given temperature before the arc can be re-struck and light produced. Halcyon HID lights only require a brief (15-30 second) cooling period before they can be re-lit.

What are the advantages of Halcyon HID lights over conventional halogen primary lights?
HID lighting has several advantages over conventional halogen primary lights:


More light output. Halcyon's 18 Watt HID light source produces approximately the same lumens at the light source as a 55 Watt halogen bulb at a three to five times the halogen's efficiency. The 10 Watt HID only produces ~500 lumens, but thanks to its true 6000K color temperature it appears almost as bright as a 55 Watt halogen bulb when in use. The HID lamp's lumens per watt (LPW) efficacy is roughly six to eight times that of an incandescent lamp.

Whiter light. The color temperature of HID lighting more closely approximates the color temperature of natural daylight than does a halogen system, which appears yellowish in comparison. We use the term "correlated color temperature" to indicate that the light appears as if the discharge lamp is operating at a given color temperature-- traditional measurements of color temperature are drawn from the properties of the metal used in the bulb's filament. Typical color temperatures are 2800K (incandescent), 3000K (halogen), 4100K (cool white or SP41 fluorescent), and 5000K (daylight-simulating fluorescent colors). Both of the Halcyon HID lights produce a light with a color temperature approaching or above 5000K. A white light has a perceived brightness which may equate to the higher stated efficacies-- ie., although an HID lamp might have equivilant lumens as a higher wattage halogen bulb, the HID will appear brighter and more pleasing to the eye than the output of a halogen lamp.

Longer Service Life. An HID lamp will last, on the average, 3 to 5 times as long as a halogen bulb. In normal use, your Halcyon HID bulb should last beyond one thousand ignitions.
Lamp Type: 18 Watt
Lumens:  1150  
Rated Median Life @ 1 hour/start  1100 hrs.
Correlated Color Temperature.  6500°K
Current (@12V) 2.0 Amps
Restart time to >90% output 25 sec.


Lamp Type: 10 Watt
Lumens:  ~500
(optical equivalence of a 50w halogen bulb)
Rated Median Life @ 1 hour/start  1000 hrs.
Correlated Color Temperature.  6000°K
Restart time to >90% output 5 seconds

 

Why do Halcyon HID lights have the extra ballast unit on the handle?
The ballast in an HID lighting system generally has two purposes. It provides the proper starting voltage to strike and maintain the arc, and it regulates the proper current to the lamp once the arc is established.

Ballasts are not interchangeable among different types of HID lamps. A ballast design incorporates electronic circuitry to provide specific lamp/ballast operating characteristics. As an example, the effects of line voltage variations on resultant changes of lamp wattage are a function of the ballast circuit design. Requirements for a circuit which will provide a finer degree of lamp regulation generally result in a higher ballast cost.


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Care and Troubleshooting of your Halcyon HID Light
The light emitted from the HID arc tube is intense and appropriate safety precautions relating to exposure protection are required. Metal halide bulbs operate at very high temperatures and pressures. The quartz glass of the bulb itself must be kept clean. The glass lamps should be handled with care giving special attention of the quartz arc tube. The Halcyon HID light is a DC lamp; proper electrical wiring polarity must be observed to prevent damage to the lamp.

CAUTION: Ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation is emitted from metal halide lamps. Possible skin or eye irritation can result from exposures exceeding 15 minutes. Do not stare at exposed lamp in operation. During operation, the bulb should be enclosed in a housing to prevent injury. Do not remove bulb from equipment until it has cooled. Never handle the bulb when it is operating!

Protect the quartz arc tube when handling the lamp. Keep the arc lamp clean. Do not touch the quartz tube, the inside surface of the reflector, and the connecting wires. Contamination can degrade lamp performance or cause premature failures. If necessary, clean the lamp by wiping with a lint free towel or swab immersed in denatured alcohol.

While HID bulbs last considerably longer than halogen bulbs, you should be aware of several characteristics that indicate that a bulb is approaching the end of its lifespan. Initial symptoms of end-of-life are characterized by low light output and/or intermittent starting. Visual signs include blackening at the ends of the arc tube and electrode tip deterioration. Note that HID bulbs contain metals, including mercury, that are harmful to the environment. Please be responsible in securing proper disposal of an HID bulb.

The bulb and ballast are sensitive to external operating temperature. Although the Halcyon HID light doesn't generate the amount of heat of a halogen light, it should be treated like any other dive light. The HID lamp should only be operated while in the water, to provide proper cooling for the lamp assembly. While transporting your HID light, please don't leave the light in direct sunlight or in a car's interior on a hot day.

If you are experiencing problems with your HID light ahead of its expected lifespan, take a second to inspect the bulb and ballast assembly:

Bulbs


Inspect for broken arc tube or outer lamp jacket

Check connection where lamp broken where glass meets the base

Make a visual inspection of the bulb for broken or loose components in lamp envelope

Inspect for arc tube end blackening

Inspect for deposits inside the outer glass envelope

Ballast and Capacitor points-of-failure


Attempt ignition a second time after properly resetting the ballast by disconnecting, waiting 15 seconds, and then reconnecting the connectors attached to the lid.

Are you using Halcyon replacement lamps? Your ballast will not work with incorrect wattage lamps.

Avoid possible overheat due to ambient temperature

Inspect for miswiring/pinched wires

Inspect ballast housing and wiring for mechanical damage
E/O Underwater Pluggable connectors
Wetmates E/O cords are an available option that adds flexibility and modularity to any Halcyon lighting system. These underwater pluggable connectors are standard equipment on all Halcyon video systems.

E/O cords offer great advantages in flexibility; however, they require some minor attention to ensure reliable service. Over time the rubberized connectors may loosen and weaken the connection. The problem is easily solved by placing the connector on a hard surface and firmly hitting it with a rubber mallet. This action will tighten the connector and prevent a sloppy connection. The only other problem that might occur is a slight oxidation on the connector tip after several dives in salt water. A light sanding with extra fine sand paper will remove any oxidation and ensure a good connection.

When used with a halogen bulb, an improper E/O connection will cause the light to flicker. With an HID lamp, an improper connection will cause the light to go out should the voltage drop below the level regulated by the ballast. The effect is the same as if you had turned the light off with the switch: the ballast must reset itself and the bulb cool before restriking. If your light should go off because of a loose E/O connection, re-seat the connection and wait ten to twenty seconds before restriking the lamp.

 
 
 


We always welcome comments about our gear from our customers. Here's what Dave C., a diver from Monterey, California has to say about the Halcyon DIR dive system:

Rarely do you see random notes saying, "Just wanted to say this product is really great." So I'd like to take this opportunity now.

I've heard of this recommendation that E/O cords are not advisable in salt water. Well, I probably have about 250 or 300 dives with my Pro6 HID. And I beat the crap out of it. I take it on shore dives, crawling through the surf. I take it on boat dives where it gets knocked around a lot. I take it on dives off inflatables where it really gets knocked around, and beat up when I haul my rig over the side (I'm lazy and never take it off the belt to pass it up first). I just got back from a 3 week trip in Micronesia. In Palau I was doing 5 dives a day with it and zero maintenance. It worked flawlessly, as it always has.

Just wanted to say: Damn good job.
 
 

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